


A Life Twice Lived

by LadyLilyAnne, Melfice13



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Death is a Troll, F/F, F/M, Genderbending, M/M, Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-24
Updated: 2019-04-11
Packaged: 2019-08-06 20:17:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16394387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyLilyAnne/pseuds/LadyLilyAnne, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Melfice13/pseuds/Melfice13
Summary: Draco Malfoy died at the venerable age of 107, and who awaited him at the crossroads? His mother? His wife? No, it had to be his eccentric former rival, eventual best friend, and far too often partner in chaos Harry Potter. Oh, and of course he had a deal to offer Draco to live his life anew, and obviously there was a caveat to it all that he wasn't privy to, damn Potters.Eventual Fem!Draco and Harry Potter romance, along with the ongoing Black Family comedy in the background.





	1. New Beginnings

Lord Draco Malfoy stood tall and proud in a stark white expanse that did not appear to have a floor, yet when he tapped down with his heel he could easily hear a clicking noise and feel resistance to his strike. He frowned at that, this was a bit too similar to one of Harry's legimacy pranks for comfort, but that was impossible since his one time rival, and eventual friend had been dead for fifteen years.

"Yeah, fifteen bloody boring years, do you have any idea how quickly having a single sudoku book gets old when it's the only entertainment you have for a decade and a half? Seriously, Death and his sick sense of humor..."

Eyes widening Draco spun around to see a man lounging on a bench behind him, he was wearing a very recognizable ensemble consisting of a leather bomber jacket, black slacks, and a Sex Pistols t-shirt.

Him and his damn band t-shirts.

The man laughed seeing Draco's reaction as he sat upright and pulled a strand of ebony black hair behind his ear while the other hand pushed his rectangle framed glasses up his nose, a moment later Harry Potter stood and wrapped the blonde in a hug.

"Dude you have no idea how good it is to see you, since I think honestly you're the only one of my friends who would ever take up the offer I have. Death and his games, ugh, oh, hey sorry bro, you're dead, had a good run though, you were what, a hundred and seven?"

Breaking the embrace and taking a step back Draco assessed this...hallucination and decided to nip this in the bud quickly so to speak.

"Istanbul, what happened between us in Istanbul?"

Harry raised a brow then snorted out a laugh, "You wonderfully paranoid Slytherin you. We were still partners in the ICW Special Forces, our contact was actually a snitch that sold us out and we nearly got blown up by a poorly made IED and ended up portkeying to our safe house.

"We got very very drunk, and I ended up telling you all about my absolutely fucked up childhood, which prompted you to reveal the horrors of growing up a Malfoy as well as the joys of having a Dark Lord living under your roof."

"I never told anyone about that..." Was all Draco could say mystified.

Harry rolled his eyes, "Nor did I, we're guys, we swallow our emotions because they're not anyone else's business, but like I said, we were drunk. Do you believe me now?"

Draco nodded slowly as he sat beside Harry finally asking, "What is this all about?"

Harry sighed at that as he dropped his head back on the bench while stretching out his legs out in the process, "Ok, you know about the whole Deathly Hallows thing?"

"Yes, you use to go on rants about foolish old men betting everyone's lives on children's tales when you were doing paperwork, you would often mutter about the Hallows."

Harry pursed his lips as he put his hands behind his head before continuing, "Yeah, ends up they were real and I had them all. Hermione and I figured out that I was the Master of Death and came to the rather logical conclusion that I really should not test it out. I mean seriously, ordering around an entity as old as creation? Thanks, no, bye."

"How uncharacteristically self preserving for a Gryffindor" Harry responded by simply extending a middle finger, also making it clear this very likely was his old friend and ICW partner.

"Anyway, I'm the Master of Death, and I died at the ripe old age of ninety-two, bit young for a wizard, but not bad really. I end up here at the crossroads and meet Death, who is none too pleased to have a master let me tell you."

"Then he shouldn't have made the bloody Hallows to begin with," Draco responded with a disdainful sniff, Harry nodded enthusiastically at that.

"I know right?! I mean sweet merciless Morrigan talk about creating your own problems, anyway he had an offer for me. I give up my claim on the Hallows, and he gives someone dear to me a second chance to live on in another world."

Wait, what?

"Wait, what? What kind of deal is that?"

Harry laughed self deprecatingly as he dropped his head back again, "A loaded one lemme tell you. Basically the Many Worlds theory that Hermione would ramble on about was an actual thing. One of my friends would get a chance to live their life over again in a reality closest as he can get to ours, and he gets his Hallows back and buries them in a very deep hole."

"Why not you?" Draco asked in confusion, Harry waved the question off instantly.

"I'm not scared of what's on the other side, plus I really want to see my wife and kids again. Same went for Hermione, Ron, Neville, Luna, so on and so forth, unfortunately I can't move on until someone picks up the reset token so to speak.

"Death is such an ass...anyway I figured out of all my friends you would be the most likely to take up the mantle and live your life over again. I mean you liked Astoria and all that but it was an arranged marriage and neither of you loved each other really, and your son, no offense, is a monumental fuckup and disappointment regardless. So really, outside of your mother there isn't anyone that you're really going to miss."

"My father?"

Harry winced, "He's in the hot place my friend, and you're as aware as I am he earned it."

Draco sighed, not surprised in the slightest.

"I see... When I pass in this new world, would I come back to this afterlife, or the one there?"

"One way trip my friend, one of the reasons the others wouldn't take it."

It sounded, well, intriguing really. While his life had been memorable, he had not really enjoyed it, and the idea was tempting to live life over again, but the cost...

"I'd never see you again, or the others, would I?"

"Nah, but there'll be us's over there close enough where you can adapt I think, plus, in vested self interest, I really hope you take the deal because this place is sooooo boring."

Draco tilted his head to the side meeting his friends gaze evenly, "There is a caveat to all this isn't there? You know what it is too but you won't tell me, will you?"

Harry's grin was pure mischief, "All I can tell you is you will most certainly be Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy's sprog, and you'll have the ability to do a lot of good and have fun while doing it too."

Draco narrowed his eyes before letting out a sigh, "Oh why not."

Harry jumped up while pumping his fist in the air, "Brilliant! Now go have fun and cause some chaos in my name eh?"

As Draco began fading away he distinctly heard a chilling voice that sounded like cracking ice shudder through the air.

**"IT WAS RATHER CRUEL OF YOU TO NOT TELL HIM THE WHOLE TRUTH, MY FORMER MASTER."**

Harry just laughed, "Yeah, but it was funny though."

Goddamnit Harry!

After that thought, Draco Malfoy knew nothing more.

As his consciousness returned Draco's vision was blurry and he heard a lot of crying, and damn was he cold. It took him a worrying few seconds to realize that the crying was coming from him, and that he was being held by a giant, or...oh no...seriously Harry?

"Congratulations Lady Malfoy, your child is perfectly healthy!"

Getting wrapped in a blanket and placed in what he could only guess was his mother's arms, he clearly heard her coo out, "Welcome to the world Dancia Alya Malfoy, my little princess."

Harry, you son of a bitch...

* * *

As he took a sip of his wine the aristocratically handsome man seated in the lounge of Malfoy Manor returned the stare he was receiving from a pair of scintillating sapphire blue eyes, slightly nonplussed at their intensity.

Tilting his head to the side he leaned his chin into his hand as his elbow landed on the side rest of the high backed chair he had been offered by the Lord of the house, trying to figure out why that gaze was just so...unsettling.

Through his life, be it at the orphanage he grew up in, his first real home Hogwarts, the journeys of his youth, and his rise in power, the man known as Lord Voldemort had been stared down by many people.

Usually, their gazes were fearful, furtive, prey squirming under the scrutiny of a predator. Sometimes they were defiant, realizing they were about to die and would not give him the satisfaction of seeing them panic. Recently he had seen quite a bit of begging, hoping for mercy where none could be found.

What he was not use to, was a thirteen month old baby glaring at him with such intensity that if he didn't know better, he would think she was trying to catch his head on fire with her mind.

The Dark Lord didn't know it, but that was exactly what Dancia Alya Malfoy was doing at the moment.

Said Heiress, who had recently begun teething and was very much not ok with it, was doing her best to pool her vast magic stores in an attempt to lash out at the fool before her.

Unfortunately even though Draco had been the equivalent of Howitzer in his previous life this new body was just that, new. It couldn't channel the power he could bring to bear so he was forced to sit here, with a monster, in his family's ancestral home, and be only able to glare at the bastard.

"My my isn't my little niece an intense one?" Dancia did not shudder, but it was a bloody close thing she was ready to admit. Memories of Draco's ' _training_ ' beneath his Aunt's tutelage came rushing to the forefront as the Dark Witch in question bent down to observe her niece seated in her high chair.

"She is very mature for her age, hardly ever starts a fuss, and quite obedient as well," Lucius stated with pride to both his sister in law and the Lord they had both sworn themselves to.

Dancia did her best not to roll her eyes at that, she hardly ever fussed because most of the time Lucius was spouting off the same stupid shite that he'd indoctrinated Draco with. It had taken nearly a decade of hardship, a trip to Mexico with Harry and Neville, and far too much tequila to finally break him of it.

So no, Dancia didn't fuss, because she wasn't bloody well listening to the inbred twit this time around.

"She is my heart though, the warmth in her eyes is what keeps me moving through the day."

That had been mother, and so she smiled.

Breaking her gaze from Bellatrix and Riddle, Dancia turned to Narcissa and extended her hands happily, the blonde woman simply smiled as she plucked the girl up and held her tightly.

Lucius was a write off, Dancia knew that, he always had been, it had just taken a blood war, years of being terrorized in his own home, and eventually a tribunal for Draco to realize that. If it hadn't been for the testimony of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, he and his mother would have joined the man in a life sentence in Azkaban.

Narcissa though, she had always loved Draco, and had always put his safety before her own, and it was no different with Dancia, so she figured the least she could do in this new life was actually show some bloody appreciation for the effort.

"A fine addition to our ranks for sure," the Dark Lord demurred, no one else sensed it, but Narcissa stiffened as she held her daughter closer. That...actually made warm fuzzy feelings form in the century old wizard's heart, mother always did seem less...enamored by the whole blood purity thing than the others.

Good to know that extended to wanting to keep her child out of it all, even though it was a forgone conclusion that Lucius's idiocy would draw her into a madman's machinations.

Dancia wasn't sure if it was the simple fact that she got to observe the man's descent into depravity, or that she had already gotten to see the end result as Draco, but at some point in the past year all kind thoughts for the man who sired her had vanished.

"Of course she is, and she'll be the most powerful and loyal witch of the next generation, won't she?"

Crap.

Aunt Bellatrix plucked Dancia from her mother's arms and soon cradled the infant in her own, "Who is Auntie Bella's favorite little witch? You!" Running long nailed fingers gently down the side of the child's face, said child did her best not to make any abrupt movements.

Fact, there were very few things that legitimately scared him at the end of his life, but one of the things that always would terrify him though? Was his Aunt Bellatrix LeStrange.

"You are quite fond of your niece are you not Bella?" Smiling she turned to Riddle and met his crimson gaze as she nodded quickly in return.

"She is adorable My Lord, her eyes hold such intensity, and I can feel the raw power boiling beneath her skin just waiting to be used! That...and...and she is awfully cute when she is cuddling her stuffed rabbit..."

Never living that one down, Dancia thought dryly.

Lord Voldemort snorted in amusement, "Well then, why not spend more time with your sister and niece? It isn't likely you'll have a child of your own anytime soon since your husband seems to be more interested in his brother than you, so why not try and bond? After all, wouldn't it benefit all if the little princess took after my most loyal servant?"

OK. What. The. Fuck?

While Lucius and and Mother paled, Bellatrix nodded gleefully as she leaned her head down to touch noses with her niece, "We're going to get along ever so well are we not!?"

Fuck. Fuck. Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck. FUCK!

First off, the LeStrange brothers? Gross. Just, no. Draco wasn't going anywhere near that. Second, Bellatrix acting like...what...a second mom? Was this one of those butterfly effect moments? Since she was a girl this time around the mad witch had more interest in her?

Ugh, her kingdom for the ability to speak coherently, this being a baby thing was getting old.

As things stood, over the passing days, weeks, and months, Bellatrix did take a more active part in Dancia's life, and it wasn't all disturbing, strangely enough. It ended up her aunt was an intellectual, which Draco had never known after her decade stay in Azkaban, as well as being a talented singer.

So when she was watched by the mad witch Dancia would get serenaded with the latest magical research via song which...really ruined her image as a psychotic killer rather quickly.

It was...admittedly...cute. Bellatrix LeStrange was a cute, psychotic, violent, loving, and intelligent young witch, and Draco could see now what the Dark Lord had.

Unending potential.

It was rather terrifying, really.

All that came to an end when Bellatrix slammed the manors doors open one day while burying her nose in a handkerchief, she was sobbing and crying while Mother and Lucius attempted to calm her down. Eventually, they got the message, which, honestly, shocked Dancia.

The Potters were dead, aside from little Harry, and in their deaths, they had seen to the fall of the Dark Lord.

Shit, Draco hadn't even realized it was that time, but it fit, dammit.

Contrary to the shite Dumbledore had everyone believing by the time Draco and Harry hit Hogwarts it was not 'The-Boy-Who-Lived' that defeated the Dark Lord. Rather it had been a complex, house-wide sacrificial rune that required the father to obstruct the target knowing he was going to die, followed with the mother begging to be taken in the child's stead also knowing she was going to die.

If both were murdered in cold blood, and the wand was turned on the anointed child, well, the wizard holding said wand would explode rather hilariously and the child in question would be shielded against his magic.

Hermione had found that in Lily Evans journals, why that old goat fucker never bothered reading the woman's research was anyone's guess. Draco, along with Ron and Harry figured the old man just couldn't admit there was someone far smarter and cunning than him on the field, and thus decided to just ignore it.

Fussing a bit, knowing exactly what it would do, Dancia gained Bellatrix's attention as she scooped the baby in her arms and began rocking her gently. She didn't know what the mad witch was babbling about but it kept her focus on her and not the fallen Voldemort, and hopefully, off poor Neville's family.

Eventually, Bellatrix fell asleep on the couch holding Dancia, who was eventually plucked from the woman's limp grip and taken to her rooms by her mother. When she was awoken in the morning, and brought downstairs she was shocked to see the sitting room full of aurors.

It would appear that Rodolphus and Rabastan LeStrange, along with one Bartemius Crouch Junior had attacked the Longbottom family the night before, which Dancia had expected obviously.

What wasn't expected though was that Bellatrix hadn't been involved in the slightest, rather than joining on their little crusade she had gone to Malfoy Manor to cuddle her niece, and thus the only intelligent member of that group was missing.

They had rushed into the Longbottem home, wands blazing, only to be met with Alice Longbottom's curses. When they finally downed her and began torturing the witch her little Neville exploded out with a wave of panicked magic temporarily stunning them all, which was all the time Frank Longbottem needed to kill all three of them.

Dancia sighed at that, you don't fuck with grey wizards, they are efficient, amoral, and get the job done in a quick fashion, and on the plus side, Neville would have a real childhood now.

Silver lining there.

As it stood Bellatrix was not arrested or even charged with anything, she was simply informed her husband was dead, and that he was a Death Eater. Dancia could  _not_  have been the only one to notice how happy her Aunt was with this revelation, but judging by the looks of her parents and the gathered Aurors...she really was.

So that was the next few years for her, no Dark Lord, no despondent and alone mother, and being raised by Black witches while her father stood furtively aside not wanting to earn their ire.

It wasn't until what she realized would be Harry's eighth birthday that Dancia paused combing through her long snow white hair that she had a way of changing...everything, more than Bellatrix's absence with the Longbottoms ever could have.

"No..."

Seriously it couldn't be that easy could it?

"No really, he's Albus Bloody Dumbledore he has to have a defense against that..."

But Harry had told Draco all about that summer, with...

"Dobby," a moment later her personal elf appeared before her hopping on his tiptoes. The little guy was deathly loyal to her, being that Dancia was the only person to ever show him affection and all. It was...cruel to utilize that loyalty the way she did, but, well, you go to war with the weapons you have.

"Little Missy Dancy be calling Dobby?!" He asked with his usual enthusiasm, Dancia held her sigh in wondering yet again what the hell Harry saw in these creatures but pushed that aside for now.

"I would like you to find Harry Potter, and observe him without being seen, at the end of the day come back to me and tell me what you have seen." The little elf saluted, and popped away.

It wasn't until later that night, when Dancia was trying to figure out which sleeping gown to pick for the evening, that Dobby returned. The little elf had obviously been crying, and for quite a time, eventually he shuffled forward, held the young witch in a hug, and sobbed.

"It is being terrible what they is being doing to the Great Harry Potter Little Missy Dancy!"

Well...fuck... Consistency isn't always the best thing...

Being a girl this time around may have been Harry's fault, but that was a different Harry, Draco's Harry.

This one was Dancia's, and he was hurting now...

Screw it.

"Dobby I want you to prepare a few things..."

* * *

"Boy! Wake up!"

Harry Potter sighed as he sat up from his tatty cot and absently pulled the draw string of his cupboards light, all while his other hand snatched up his glasses and quickly placed them upon their perch on his nose.

There was the familiar *Click Clack* of the lock on the cupboards door then it was swung open to allow him the full view of the horse like visage of his 'loving' aunt.

"Good morning Aunt Petunia," he stated with a flat emotionless tone, one that would not elicit physical abuse, but made it very clear to the woman in question how little regard he had for her.

Harry was not a stupid boy, not in the slightest really. In fact he had the highest grades in his year before Dudley cried to Vernon and Petunia about Harry 'cheating' during tests and thus earning a rather thorough beating for the effort courtesy of Vernon.

He dearly hoped Dudley enjoyed the three days of laxatives being added to his desserts for that little betrayal, Harry may forgive, eventually, but he would never forget a slight unearned.

Still, it wouldn't do to have a repeat of the incident so Harry, not willing to sacrifice his pride, which really, was all he had to his name, decided to learn the art of forgery. He had been at a loss on where to learn said art, until one day he was meandering through a thrift shop Dudley had convinced Petunia to peruse and destiny for once was on his side.

Wishing beyond wish for something to teach him how to falsify his records he was soon startled as a coverless book landed at his feet as if by magic. The yellowing photocopied paper was stapled together haphazardly and as Harry raised a single brow he read the title and  _smiled_.

Snatching up the time beaten homemade tome Harry quickly shoved it into the folds of his over sized hand-me-down shirt and pretended nothing had happened. Once they had returned to Privet drive, and Harry was safely ensconced in his cupboard, he was soon introduced to his first real friend.

The Anarchists Cookbook.

He had learned so many interesting things from that book, how to make black powder, how to pick locks, how to hot wire cars and crack payphone for free calls, it was utterly amazing! It had also taught him what he wished most, to forge his grade cards so the Dursleys would never know how much more brilliant he was than their pig in a wig son.

Still, even though his eighth birthday was today, he had ten more years to suffer under his relatives whims, so he took a breath, let it out, and prepared for the long day ahead.

"Start breakfast," Petunia seethed out as she stepped away from her nephew, who, for his part, was silently hoping she would spontaneously catch fire while watching her soap operas.

Wishful, if ultimately pointless thinking there.

He prepared breakfast as always, and silently hoped his 'family' got infected with a parasite from the shear amount of bacon he was preparing as he added yet another rasher to the plate in the center of the table. He grimaced at the greasy pile of fried meat while shaking his head slowly in disgust, bacon may be delicious, but it came from pigs, which were filthy animals full of disease and parasites.

He would stick with chicken, when he could get it at least, they were delicious and he didn't have to worry about creatures growing in his guts after eating them regardless.

Oh, and suddenly he was not so hungry anymore, that was progress he supposed.

Sighing he stepped away from the table as the horse, piglet, and whale began to devour his mornings efforts, making due with some heavily buttered toast and a glass of orange juice that none of them noticed him nicking Harry flitted out to the back garden.

Munching on his toast while sipping his juice the young boy aged far beyond his years by hardship could openly reflect on the fact that things could be worse, not by much mind, but they could be worse, and he accepted it all for what it was.

Ten more years, and he was free of them all...that was what counted.

Stashing his glass behind a shrub for later Harry reentered the home and began washing dishes without being told to, primarily to avoid getting cuffed on the head for 'being a lazy layabout like your drunk of a father.'

Eventually he was finished with the chores and was soon forced to the front garden where he had to weed out the flower beds.

He didn't complain, it had been weeded yesterday, there really wasn't much to do other than pretend he was working and drink from the water faucet via his nicked glass. Which his incredibly brilliant relatives hadn't realized he had been doing for some years now whenever they 'rationed' his water so why bring attention to it now?

Eventually morning turned to noon, and noon into late afternoon, and that's when his aunt decided to strike.

"Boy, we are going out for our annual steak dinner," Harry refrained from rolling his eyes at that, yes, the annual steak dinner that fell on his birthday, which obviously meant- "and we won't be wasting any of it on you! So you are to clean out the oven while we are gone, when you are done, you will shower and go back into your cupboard until the morrow."

Right.

"Of course Aunt Petunia."

The Dursleys left in a huff, obviously offended by the freak's lack of response to their slight, and so said freak was soon digging through cleaning supplies, not quite sure what he was looking for.

Honestly, whatever, if it wasn't inflammable he'd use it at this point, he just wanted to go back to his cupboard and its many hidden books.

Spraying down the stove, after properly making sure the gas was off of course, Harry began scrubbing the blackened interior down for a time, and eventually he heard a *pop* behind him. Dropping his scrub brush Harry turned around and met the bulbous eyes of a tiny creature with large ears, big feet, and shaking hands.

Harry glanced down at the cleaner he had been using before dryly stating, "I'm not sure which chemical it was that caused it, but I appear to be hallucinating Muppet's at the moment..."

"The Great Harry Potter sir! I is being Dobby the house elf, servant to my mistress the Little Missy Dancy who is being wishing to see you!"

Harry stared at the creature for a few seconds before he shrugged in acceptance after a headache inducing moment of deciphering its speech impediment. Because really, why not?

"Ok why not, lead on," the Muppet creature, Dobby, perked up happily at Harry's easy acceptance and quickly swung open the houses front door whilst dragging Harry towards a girl standing across the street.

As he stopped before her he couldn't help freezing as he took in her...oddness.

She was about his age, wearing an incredibly out of date lacey black dress with a matching parasol resting against her shoulder, ivory skin and...wow.

It was her hair and eyes that forced Harry's indifference away, her hair was white, not the silver grey of old people, or the blonde that Aunt Petunia had, but honest to god snow white. He had never seen anything like that before.

Aside from that, her eyes pierced his gaze with an unyielding intensity, their glacial blue depths turning from him after a moment of cold assessment as she addressed her elf in a kind hearted tone.

"Everything set?"

"Headmaster Whiskers will never be knowing Little Missy Dancy was here!"

The girl smirked in return before nodding to Harry, "Hello, proper introductions are in order I believe."

"Are they?" Harry asked in reply, not really knowing what was going on at this point.

"But of course, manners and decorum are all that separates us from the rabble are they not?"

Harry stared at her as for the first time honest concern began to form in his gut, "I suppose?" Was all he could say in reply.

The white haired girl curtsied gracefully as she soon stood upright smiling towards Harry, "I am the Lady Dancia Alya Malfoy, Heiress to Wiltshire and the Noble Family of Malfoy."

Harry stared at the girl a few moments before she slowly approached him whilst gently taking hold of his right arm, "Hold your hand across your heart like this and bow like that, yes, then you repeat after me, ok?"

Harry was so lost he couldn't even begin to explain it, listening to Dancia he finally nodded slowly before repeating her.

"I am the Lord Harry James Potter, Heir to Pottermore and the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter..."

The girl smiled as she extended her open hand after that, "And after the formal introductions, we make the informal ones." Harry grasped her hand as she bowed her head lightly, "You may call me Dancia, or Dany if you wish, I respond to both."

Harry smiled in return, "I'm just Harry, you can call me that all you want to I suppose."

Releasing their hands from each other Dancia nodded once towards her companion, "Well met Harry."

He smiled as he nodded in turn, "Well met, Dany."

After a moment the snow haired young girl turned on her heel and marched away, all while extending her hand towards Harry with a 'come hither' curl of her fingers. Harry gulped, not quite liking that as he quickly matched pace with her.

"What do you know of your past Harry? Of your parents?"

Harry paused, then replied with, "My relatives told me-"

Dany clicked the fingers of her free hand to silence him while she scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Everything your relatives told you was a lie, every bit, so none of it counts."

Harry scoffed at that, "Oh so Vernon and Petunia loved me more than anything then?"

Dany stared at him a moment before snorting to herself, "Ok fine, so  _almost_  everything they told you was a lie, cheeky bugger..."

She soon led him away from the sidewalk to a small copse of trees, eventually they stopped beneath a mighty oak and with the click of her fingers a table and two chairs appeared, Harry could only stare in surprise.

"Magic, is real. That was done by Dobby by the way, elf magic is rather brilliant like that, take a seat." Harry did just that as Dancia primly took her own chair, a moment later a teapot and a pair of saucers and cups appeared on the table. Dobby quickly appeared out of nowhere and prepared the tea while the girl in front of him smiled.

"Two cubes of sugar, a twist of lemon, and just a pinch of mint, your favorite." Harry had no idea what she was talking about, but the moment he sipped the tea handed to him by Dobby his eyes nearly bugged out of his head.

It really was his favorite! How did she know when he hadn't ev-

"Magic is real, you are a wizard like your father before you, as I am a witch like your mother was. We're members of a secret society of magicals hidden from the rest of the world, the denizens of which we refer to as muggles." She glared to her side while growling out the next bit, "The filthy muggles you live with know all this, but they simply choose to stick their heads in the sand and pretend our kind do not exist as they attempted to beat your birthright out of you."

While this all was...insane, that sounded like Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon without dispute. Sipping his tea Harry nodded at Dancia to continue, and so she did.

"Your father was an Auror-"

"A what?" Harry interrupted in confusion, rather than getting angry Dany sighed as she took a sip of her own drink before replying.

"Sorry, think of it as...a constable, an officer detective, just magical."

Harry's eyes widened at that, his father wasn't a layabout drunk! He was one of the good guys! He was a bobby!

"Anyway," Dany continued, "your mum was a researcher, a...scientist of sorts in the Department of Mysteries, and quite likely, a mad genius." She smiled at that while tilting her cup towards Harry slightly, "In our family, that's quite the compliment."

Harry placed his own cup back on the table as he leaned forward with a look of awe on his face, "We're family?" He had family other than the Dursleys?! Family that actually treated him like he was human!? Why was he forced to live with those...  _filthy_ muggles then!?

Dancia leaned back and nodded once, "Third cousins, twice removed if I did the math right. I was raised with all this pure-blood nonsense and it still confuses me so I might be wrong. Anyway your parents were targeted by Lord Voldemort when you were about a year and a half old, yo-"

"Voldemort?" Harry stated incredulously, "As in 'flight of death'? That is..."

Dancia smiled as she nodded, "French, and ridiculous, I know. Unfortunately many of those in power revel in their ignorance as if it was a badge of honor, being monolingual only adding to that. I must say I am a bit surprised you're keeping up with me as you are, being a child and all."

Harry scowled at the girl while crossing his arms, "You're a child as well."

Dancia twirled a lock of her snow white hair while shrugging in reply, "Yes but I am a genius."

"So am I," Harry shot back darkly, her response surprised him though.

"Of course you are, I wouldn't bother being friends with you otherwise, anyway where was I? Right, Voldemort. He targeted your parents, walked right into the trap they had set for him, and murdered them both which primed said trap. Then he aimed his wand at you, and set it off."

At this Dancia ran a hand through her hair and looked deeply apologetic as she tilted her head to the side, "Do you know what prophecies are?"

Harry stared at her a moment before replying in a stilted manner, "They're...messages some people get from beyond that tell what the future is going to be...I think..."

Dancia nodded relaxing a bit as she did so, "Right, the thing about prophecies is that they are so bloody open ended that if you believe in them, you can make it self fulfilling."

Harry tilted his head to the side at that, "Self fulfilling?"

Dancia twirled her finger through a dollop of spilled tea forming a faint brown circle in the white tablecloth, "You think you know the future, so you do everything in your power to either enable it, or avoid it. Ultimately whatever end result you were shooting for occurs because you believed it was fate."

Harry sat their a few minutes processing that, brilliant he may be, but he was still a child and it took some time to digest all this new information.

Eventually he nodded to himself and met Dancia's concerned gaze, "Ok...What of it?"

Dancia sighed, "The entire reason Voldemort went after you was due to a prophecy, one he, and the man who forced you to live with those  _filthy muggles,_  both believe in. It's a false prophecy, made by a desperate drunk who was trying to gain a job, but it doesn't matter, it gave both big bads the focus they required, even if it was a lie..."

"Self fulfilling..." Harry muttered as he stared down at his hands, the little boy coming to the correct conclusion that his entire miserable existence was being manipulated by a pair of madmen who took the words of a drunk to heart.

"You get it," she said sadly, nodding once. "Anyway the prophecy boils down to one thing, either you kill Voldemort, or he kills you, so Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts, the magical school you and I will be attending when we turn eleven by the way, Arranged for you to grow up here."

She gestured towards Surrey with a sneer gracing her lips, "In a muggle suburb hated, despised, and abused, so you will gladly give your life up for his cause. A premade martyr, a disposable soldier, a patsy."

A bush behind Harry caught fire as his rage slipped for a moment, this only made Dancia smile, "You're angry. Good. You should be, your Godfather and Godmother have both been trying to claim you for years but Dumbledore has blocked them every step of the way. Using Sirius's brief stint in Azkaban and Alice's exposure to the crucitous curse as excuses to keep you with the Dursleys."

Dancia leaned forward, nearly touching noses as she finished with, "If that old man was not so obsessed with making you his weapon, you could have grown up with your Godbrother Neville, a loving Godmother and Godfather, and, me."

Harry sat there silently, not moving, not speaking, but eventually, he met his cousin's sapphire gaze with his emerald green, and smiled.

"How can we muck up this Dumbledore's plans?"

Dancia could only smirk in return, "Oh Harry, let me count the ways..."

* * *

 

Handling her teacup in a dainty manner while leaning back into her chair, Dany took the final sip of her cuppa and placed it back on its saucer before bringing her entire focus on Harry who began shifting about slightly as he was being appraised. Deciding that the kid really did need to have a bit of reassurance that things were going to be alright she pulled out her oriental style fan with her right hand and unfolded it covering her face as she stood from her chair. 

Harry just stared at her without reacting, and she couldn't help smiling in turn. He really had changed from before, this could be interesting, more so than Dany had originally thought at least. Jerking her head slightly back towards his relatives home she folded the fan up and ran it across her forehead before slipping it back into her expanded bag.

She knew everything she had done with the damn thing was lost on the boy but the subtle language of fans and flowers had always perplexed Harry and Draco, both men being very upfront wizards who had been quite baffled by the intricacies of witches social lives.

Growing up as a daughter of the house of Black  _and_  Malfoy this time around? Dancia got it, she just thought it was ridiculous and a bit stupid. On that note if she hadn't been fully aware of how bloody dangerous the women of upper society could be, she may have actually voiced that opinion.

She would not though, Dany was after all a survivor and would much rather avoid any drama caused by the slip of a tongue.

Harry stood and shuffled his feet slightly a few moments before turning back to Dany while smiling brightly. Dancia rolled her eyes to the heavens and used her left hand to hide a slight blush, seriously this kid was both adorable and exasperating all at the same time.

Resting her right hand on her hip she shook her crooked elbow slightly to gain Harry's attention, "It is proper for a gentleman to escort a lady. Are you going to neglect your duties already?"

Harry sputtered, then stepped forward hooking his arm through hers, once that was complete Dancia began walking as she explained her plan.

"Some of this will be lost on you I am sure, and it is no insult to you but you are after all... ignorant on many things."

Harry tensed but Dany used her free hand to quickly place a finger on his lips to silence him, "Ignorance does not imply stupidity Harry, it means you are...uninformed on the subject. It is not an insult, savvy?"

Harry stared at Dany a few moments before nodding slowly, so she continued on.

"In the magical world Blood status reigns supreme, and yes, it is ridiculous but we will have to wait till we are older to change it regardless. Basically if you have had three generations of magicals marrying together who themselves can verify their ancestry consisted of couples that could trace  _their_  ancestry back three generations of having magic, you're a Pure-Blood."

Harry rubbed his forehead at that while cocking an eyebrow, "O...k...that sounds confusing."

Dancia snorted lightly, "Because it bloody well is confusing. Anyway if a Pure-Blood marries a Half-Blood or a Muggle-Born, that is to say someone of mixed heritage or a magical born from those without it, their offspring will too be considered Half-Bloods."

Harry nodded slowly at that before replying, "That is until the Half-Bloods descendants marry Pure-Bloods for the next three generations..."

Dany smiled, "You got it. Anyway the laws for magicals are a bit...shall we say, odd? We are all beholden to the Crown but magicals like to pretend that the Ministry of Magic does  _not_  bow to the Queens laws."

Harry smirked at that, "But they do, don't they?"

Dancia smiled in return, "Quite so. Now, in custody cases in the magical world, a Pure-Blood is only really beholden to the Ministry of Magic's ruling. In essence, their parents or guardians are their Magical Guardians regardless of any other bias. Getting this?"

Harry glanced at his friend a moment before nodding slowly which compelled Dany to carry on, "Muggle-Born children are caught in a very...disturbing twilight zone where their parents have no legal rights over them in the magical world. A world they are forced by law to be part of mind you"

"Wait, what!?" Harry spat out, Dany could only shake her head in return.

"Trust me I get it, I didn't make the rules though so don't blame me. Anyway, they are given a Magical Guardian when they go to Hogwarts, usually their head of house, which I'll explain the house system later. Anyway, that leaves all legal responsibility in the hands of said head of house, or possibly the headmaster, depending on circumstances."

Dany stopped walking as they reached Privet Drive, releasing Harry's arm she smiled at him saddly, "That leaves Half-Bloods. You lot are caught in the crossroads, you exist in both the magical and mundane world while having the social status to actually make that mean something.

"It also opens a loophole," at that Dany grinned viciously as she pulled her fan out again and opened it slightly to cover her face. "You,  _we_ , are being watched, but this little trick is part of the system, so if we move quickly it won't matter. Basically if you have two muggle parents, you are assigned a magical guardian to explain your place in our society and help guide you along yeah?"

"Right..." Harry muttered as Dany opened her fan fully while twirling it lightly.

"Pure-Bloods don't have magical guardians, it would be considered an insult for obvious reasons. Half-Bloods, like you, are special though, since you exist in both worlds, and your mother was, to be blunt, a genius, are established and a part of both systems because of her.

"So, if you were to be formally adopted by a couple who consisted of an absolutley terrifying Pure-Blood healer, and a well established Muggle-Born solicitor, you as a Half-Blood, would become their burden in both the magical, and mundane world."

Stopping before 4 Privet Drive Harry stared at the building a few moments, releasing Dancia's arm he sat down hard, face landing in his splayed hands as dusk's final lights shined on him. Dancia primly sat next to him, gently twirling her parasol as he mulled over the facts she had given him.

Eventually Harry spoke, "So...in order to be who I should have been to begin with, I have to let myself be adopted by people I've never met, and keep quiet about it as long as possible?"

"Essentially," Dancia stated with a nod.

Eventually Harry turned his gaze back to 4 Privet Drive and spoke up in a tired tone, "Heh... Never even finished cleaning the stove...likely getting beaten for that... Complete strangers, or people I know already hate me..."

Dancia didn't hesitate as she called out, "Dobby!" A moment later her house elf appeared before her grinning happily, "Please clean the Dursleys stove without letting anyone know it was you, that is all."

"Dobby being doing what the Little Missy Dancy be ordering to help the Great Harry Potter Sir!" With that he vanished with a *Pop* that had Harry rubbing his brow slowly.

"O...k... Thank you I guess?"

Dany shrugged at that while placing her parasol on the ground and letting her head land on Harry's shoulder, "You are welcome, I just want to help. Really... The family I have planned out for you, they are my relatives and they would look after you, you know? My aunt and uncle are amazing people, and their daughter, well, she'd love to take you in as her little brother. You could be...happy, if you let yourself be."

Harry was silent for several minutes, eventually he snaked his arm around Dancia's shoulders and pulled her close, the young boy eventually looking up into the growing field of stars above them.

"Why are you helping me Dany? Why do you want to be my friend when everyone else leaves me be? Just leaves the freak to himself?" Turning to meet her gaze evenly he finished with, "Why do you care?"

Dancia Malfoy smiled in return as she leaned forward and kissed the tip of his nose before replying with, "Because someone needs to, because you are not a freak, and you deserve to have a friend."

Harry was quiet for a long while, eventually, as he saw the Dursleys car pull into Privet Drive he finally replied with, "Who are the relatives you want to adopt me?"

Dancia smirked to herself as she pulled Harry closer, seeing his fat, disgusting, red faced uncle step out of the car taking in the sight before him, "The Tonks family, I think you and Dora are going to get along just fine."


	2. It Isn't Technically Kidnapping If They Come Along Willingly, Right?

Vernon Dursley knew things were going to go pear shaped as soon as he saw the small girl sitting next to the freak on the front stoop of his home. Firstly, while he wasn't cultured in the slightest, as much as he tended to fake being so, he could quite easily tell she was an aristocrat.

Secondly, she had to almost certainly be one of  _them_.

Her hair was an unnaturally freakish white, like pure cotton or freshly fallen snow, her eyes glowed just ever so slightly leaving their piercing ice blue tint burned into the mind, and her Gothic Victorian era dress was simply out of place in the modern world.

She met his gaze evenly as she stood gracefully whilst plucking a parasol off the ground and twirled it between her fingers as she placed it over her shoulder, then she  _grinned_  at him.

Vernon made a choking noise as he saw her perfectly white teeth flash in the dark, her slightly elongated canines giving her an almost vampiric appearance that set him on edge. This girl all but screamed 'unnatural' and Vernon had to rally his courage to stand his ground as she tilted her head to the side to appraise his quite normal family.

"Harry, why don't we head inside so your...relatives can begin to get properly settled in for the evening?"

Her voice was quietly demure with a hint of an Oxford accent, every motion she made seemed to be calculated to make others nervous as both she and the freak turned their backs on the Dursleys heading into the house without further word.

Vernon turned to his wife to demand answers but froze as he saw the look of utter horror on Petunia's face, his little Dudders noticed the woman's reaction as well poking her back gently while muttering, "Mum what's going on?"

"No...no it can't be her...there is...there is no way..."

"Pet?" He asked in a concerned tone, but his wife did not hear him, lost in her memories as she was.

* * *

**July 3, 1977**

Narcissa Black sighed in exasperation as she took in the ramshackle town of Cokeworth and did her best to mitigate the stench of the local mills with a bubblehead charm and a spray of perfume. Honestly her study partner better appreciate this...this utter insult to propriety that she had to endure for her, it was almost degrading, truly!

Sighing she decided to not hold it against her partner, after all it was not like great minds where able to choose the environment they were born into and dwelling on it meant more quality time with the muggles. So with a huff the young woman wrapped her shawl about her face and began walking past identical streets of brick terraced houses until she reached her target.

It was interesting to note that while all the surrounding houses had ill kept front gardens and soot stained windows the Evans family had a very well maintained property, complete with weeded vegetable planters, flower beds, and well scrubbed brickwork.

All in all, the home looked like it was lived in by a family who knew how to present themselves while also being pragmatic in the same breath, it truly explained her partner's thought processes when it came to research for sure.

Adjusting her black dress as she tilted her parasol a bit she walked up the front drive and came to a stop smiling a bit at the sight before her.

Lily Evans was currently sporting a pair of scandalously short shorts and a tank top whilst weeding a bed of obviously magical plants, bopping her head up and down to the music coming from the transistor radio hanging from the fence beside her. The young woman's crimson tresses swaying back and forth from the confines of her sloppily wrapped ponytail she didn't notice Narcissa's presence for a few moments until said woman coughed gently into her hand.

In the middle of clipping one of the plants offshoots Lily glanced up, and her brilliant emerald green eyes seemed to alight as she met Narcissa's imperious glacial blue gaze.

"Cissa you made it!" Jumping up Lily brushed the soil from her legs as she approached her partner and took her hands into her own, and as always this little ritual threw the aristocrat for a bit of a loop.

Her hands were soft, unworked, and conveyed the life of a proper noble, while Lily's were roughened from usage, yet maintained a certain gentleness to them, for some reason she always found this a bit unsettling.

"Of course I made it Lily," she stated in a dry tone, the slight Oxford lilt to her voice carrying across the property as she turned to observe the various planters about them. "I must say I'm rather impressed with the variety of plants your family grows."

"Heh, blame that on us, veterans of the rationing era and all. Although it's nice not having to worry about a Kraut bomb dropping in on the cucumbers. You're Lily's partner from school right, Narcissa? My names Marigold, Lily's mother."

Narcissa turned to the newcomer while taking in the tall woman's visage for a few moments, noting her green eyes and blonde hair before nodding in return.

"Quite, we're working on our Runes Mastery together. I had a bit of a breakthrough and I wanted to discuss it with her."

The older woman smiled and nodded at that while gesturing towards the house, "Not even going to pretend I know what you're referring to, I'm just happy to see my little Lils moving up in the world. If you girls want snacks or anything let me know, Bill won't be home from the mill till late so dinners kind of off the table till at least seven."

Narcissa nodded in return as Lily led her into the house, the lithe redhead as always seemingly endlessly excitable, "So I went over the preliminary arithmatic calculations and I think you're onto something here. I know we're really getting ahead of ourselves with working on our Mastery before we even pass our NEWT but seriously this is so...so..."

"Bloody interesting?" Narcissa threw out, the curse word nearly causing her partner to stumble, turning back to the Pure-Blood witch Lily couldn't help grinning in return.

"Precisely! Now if-"

"Who's this, another one of your  _freak_  friends?"

Lily froze and cringed as she turned to address the newcomer, meeting said woman's gaze, Narcissa could honestly say she was completely unimpressed with her.

Gangly with an overly long neck, wearing far too much pink, and her nose far too up in the air the woman before her was almost a caricature of a human being.

"Petunia...this is my research partner from school, Narcissa Black, Narcissa my sister Petunia."

"Charmed, I'm sure," Narcissa demurred as she tilted her head to the side, Petunia for her part sniffed disdainfully as she sauntered off leaving an embarrassed Lily in her wake.

"My sister...the charmer... Sorry about that, lets get started on the project yeah?"

What followed was a rather enjoyable three hours of bantering, gossiping, and brainstorming. Lily Evans would never be a true friend to Narcissa Black, her family would never allow it, especially with her upcoming betrothal to the Malfoys. Still though, the intellectual discourse and mutual respect went a long way and Narcissa found herself enjoying her interactions with the young mud...muggle-born as she always did.

Eventually the pair found themselves outside in the back garden laying down runestones while trying to work out the best alignment for them when Petunia stepped into the midst of their project.

"Mother says dinner is to be ready soon, you and your... _friend_  should wrap up what you are doing and get cleaned up."

Narcissa couldn't help herself at this point, she sneered at the giraffe necked woman while offering her hand to Lily, "Yes, why don't we head inside and clean up while your...relatives get settled for the evening..."

Petunia stared at the pair of witches disdainfully as they walked into the house, the last thing she heard was Lily's "Thank you Cissa," before the sliding door closed shut

* * *

**Present Time**

As Harry and Dancia entered the house the young boy turned to the small witch while fidgeting slightly as he glanced back out the still open door, "I don't think they like you Dany..."

She only smirked in return, "That's fine Harry, I don't like them very much either, and I can deal with mutually acknowledged apathy. Now go get cleaned up ok? I'll...deal with your relatives..."

Harry could only stare at her for a few moments before running a hand through his hair, "Don't hurt them? Please?"

Dancia frowned at that while cocking her head to the side, "Why?"

So simple, so succinct, so to the point.

Harry's response made her pause though, "Because you're better than them."

She stared into his green gaze for several moments before nodding slowly, "Very well Harry, I won't hurt them. Now hurry up and get your shower, we have so much to plan tonight it isn't even funny."

Harry smiled, and for the first time in his life initiated a hug as he wrapped Dany in his arms, then was soon scurrying up the stairs.

Tapping her finger against her lower lip Dany glanced outside to the still petrified in terror Dursley family before a self satisfied grin worked its way across her now darkly amused visage.

"Dobby!" Her house elf appeared beside her as she tilted her head towards him, "How would you like to play with some muggles, long term?" The elf's matching grin would have made many a grown man shudder, because she  _had_ after all told Harry she wouldn't do anything to the Dursley family.

Dobby though? Well, that was a different story.

Dobby soon popped away as the Dursley family seemed to have finally gathered their collective courage and entered their home with a sense of apprehension hovering about them.

As much as they wished it, they could not ignore the little witch who had invaded their perfectly normal lives standing protectively at the foot of the staircase before the front door, her head tilted with a contemplative look crossing her aristocratic features.

Smirking, she opened then closed her fan quickly before gently tapping it on her left ear, "Hmm.. what to do what to do... I hope you ...people, realize how lucky you lot are that Harry is a better person then any of us. I mean, in the long term that won't help you in the slightest, I am after all just as vindictive as he can be I am simply more willing to act on it. For now though, enjoy the calm before the storm."

Petunia still looked like she had seen a ghost but Vernon had managed to get over his shock at this little girl threatening him in his own home. So, face purpling, and fists clenching he growled out, "Listen here you litt-"

"Silence fat man, I did not solicit nor do I desire your opinion. As an aside, before you attempt to threaten me further do ask dear Petunia what an annoyed witch can do to those that threaten her and those she cares about, hmm?" Dancia had to resist laughing, this pure-blood princess act was hilarious, she was sure Draco's Harry would appreciate the show.

Petunia let out a whimper, Dudley looked confused, and Vernon could only sputter at the girl, eventually though Petunia managed to let out a quivering reply.

"You're one of them, a freak like my sister... Li-like her freakish friends!"

Dany could only smile in turn as her fan rested against her right cheek, knowing full well the horrid woman wouldn't understand the gesture in the slightest. She didn't wish to admit it, primarily because this entire song and dance was incredibly childish, but she was rather enjoying toying with these muggles.

That is to say, the decades spent as the partner of a half insane, adrenaline junkie wizard with a martyr complex meant spending a lot of time with the bushy-haired woman that was his best friend. Side effects included an appalling sense of guilt from all the lectures beaten into his head, if only out of self-preservation, for muggle baiting and intimidation.

Ah well, they deserve it, and as it stands Hermione wasn't here right now so Dany felt fairly safe to indulge a bit.

She only had to wait a few minutes for Harry to finish taking his shower. Dancia knew this was due to long term indoctrination courtesy of his relatives that he was to 'not waste water' on himself, which was yet further proof that the Dursleys deserved what they were going to get.

As Harry rushed down the stairs Dany ended her admittedly creepy stare down with the adults of the house to quickly spin on her tip toe to meet her friends gaze as he stopped at the bottom step.

She had to suppress her inner Draco from breaking out laughing upon seeing the state of his hair, some things never changed and it would appear 'The Potter Hair' was one of said things.

"Oh Harry," she giggled out as she placed her hand upon his head and ran her fingers through his hair, "what are we ever going to do with this birds nest?"

He blushed slightly while shuffling his feet a bit, "I know, can't do anything with it, I've tried."

Dany just smiled and shook her head as she took his arm and pulled him to her side, "We're going to my manor home tonight, and tomorrow you shall meet your new family. Is there anything you want to grab before leaving? Anything you want to say to your relatives? After all, this is the last time you'll ever see them."

Harry froze as he shot a panicked glance towards Vernon, then he felt Dancia's fingers slip through his own giving his hand a tight squeeze. Taking in a deep breath he shook his head while averting his gaze from his relatives to the snow haired girl beside him.

"I own nothing, so I have nothing to pack, convenient that yeah?" He shot her a grin that would have appeared roguish if it were not so painfully strained, Dany responded by simply giving his hand another squeeze.

"Alright then, anything you want to say to the muggles?"

Harry closed his eyes, gulped down his apprehension, then set his shoulders straight as he turned to glare at the Dursleys.

"I forgive you."

The family openly gaped at him while Dancia raised a single brow, while Harry's brows furrowed as Petunia muttered "What?" in an incredulous tone.

Dany gritted her teeth at the muggles implied indignation yet remained silent as Harry continued on, "I forgive you for what you have done to me, and I hope to never see any of you again. Dany, can we go...h-home now?"

Consternation forgotten due to the hitch in Harry's voice the young witch nodded once as she called for her house elf, "Of course Harry. Dobby, take us home!"

A moment later, the two children vanished with a *POP!* and instantaneously appeared in a large suite of richly furnished rooms.

* * *

Harry blinked rapidly while shaking his head slowly, a moment later he glanced about his surroundings and openly gaped at what stood before him. Rather than the Dursleys tacky living room filled with proper faux upper middle class furniture, beige carpet, and white walls he found himself in a massive room that looked like it had come from a Victorian era movie.

The vaulted ceiling sported a crystal chandelier that had candles hovering  _above_  it, the walls were richly stained wood panels covered in intricate carvings, the floors highly polished hardwood with a thickly weaved emerald green carpet leading from where they had appeared to a set of heavily reinforced double doors.

Oh, and there were paintings of people dressed like nobs that were  _moving_  as they adjusted their seating to take in the new arrivals, despite the shock of it all, despite how his world had just been turned upside down, Harry could only grin.

"I love magic."

Dancia broke out into a fit of giggles as she shook her head and gently pulled Harry down the carpet towards the double doors while quickly replying, "And to think, this is only the antechamber to my personal rooms, wait till you see the ballroom."

Harry blushed at that, for a moment he had thought this  _was_  the ballroom, so trying to save face he nodded slowly, "It's just a bit of an overload you know? I mean this morning I was doing manual labor for people that would never appreciate it, and now I'm...I'm..."

"Nobility. I understand, look how about we get some proper food in you while I go talk to my family all right? My parents and auntie don't know what I've been arranging so I have to let them in on what is going on."

Harry cocked his head to the side as the double doors swung open on their own accord, which was rather brilliant thank you very much.

"I thought I was supposed to live with your aunt?"

Dany shuddered a moment before shaking her head, her snow white tresses fluttering about her in the process, "Oh no! You're to live with my Aunt Andromeda, the one we have to be wary around is Auntie Bellatrix. Look, don't worry about it, this series of chambers is under Dobby's protective bubble."

Stopping in a grand room sporting a four poster canopied bed, a massive writing desk, a multitude of dressers, an armoire, and a large table at the center Dany turned to Harry giving him an earnest look.

"Harry, I wasn't being completely honest with you, there are...factions that hate you for things that are not your fault and...sod it, look Harry my father? He was Voldemort's right hand and my Aunt Bellatrix was his left, they were his most loyal followers."

Harry tensed and took a step back, a look of horrified betrayal crossed his face and that made her heart clench a bit as she took a step back and crossed her arms, fully expecting this reaction.

"Do not think for a second I am a follower of that bloody son of a muggle Harry, my father is a moron and my auntie was under a Hades marriage contract, she had to do what her husband told her to do."

Rather than speaking Harry cocked his head to the side in utter confusion, Dany pinched her nose trying to remain calm, "Right...look, ok... In the magical world there is no gender divide like the muggle world suffered through, every little witch and every little wizard is equally armed yeah? Well, that doesn't mean there are not misogynistic chauvinistic pigs in the ranks and they want to control what they see as  _theirs._ Basically... Hell's bells how to explain this... Auntie Bella was enslaved, there we go, she was a slave to her husbands whims.

"She is a blood purist don't get me wrong, but she isn't actually a fanatic, frankly she's more interested in research and all that, her husband forced her to be a sycophant for Voldemort before Lord Longbottom killed him and...oh dear I'm rambling..."

Harry just stared at her a few minutes as the small witch rubbed her temples trying to straighten out her thoughts, eventually he gathered the courage to speak, "So basically she may not be a nice person, but all the bad things she did were against her will, not really her decision?"

Dany deflated at that and shot him a thankful look nodding quickly, "Yes, there we go. Auntie Bella is... Umm... Special? Brilliant keep in mind but... Shall we say a bit of a handful? Think Morticia Addams meets Doctor Frankenstein, not exactly comforting but better than the alternative."

"And your dad?"

Dancia snorted, "Lucius is a bloody git, he constantly spouts how 'A Malfoy bows to no one' while accepting a slave brand and kissing the hem of the robes of an upjumped commoner... I am really buggering this whole thing up..."

Harry swallowed his fear as he took a step forward and placed a hand on Dancia's shoulder, "You're just trying to protect me, aren't you?"

It was all for him, if she could bring Harry into their world early, maybe...maybe it could all be avoided, this was for the future, their potential happy endings that didn't end in constant war and politicking.

Taking in a deep breath she nodded slowly, "Yes, I am. It is only for tonight that you must stay here, tomorrow you'll be at the Tonks home and live the life you deserved. This suite of rooms is under Dobby's protection, stay here,  _do not_  leave the bubble, and you'll be fine. I...have to go explain things to my family now...which should be rather fun..."

Sighing she tossed her fan and parasol on the bed while turning back to the doors, "Dobby!" Her house elf appeared before her and bowed lightly, "Feed Harry, anything he wants or you think he needs. Oh, and begin his potion regime, we need to undo what those filthy muggles did to him. I'm...going to go talk to my family."

Dobby froze and Harry grew immediately worried at how terrified the elf looked, "Is Little Missy Dancy sure of this?"

Rather than getting angry she took a knee and wrapped her arms around the elf, "Don't worry Dobs, I've got this, take care of Harry all right?"

Tensing the little elf let out a sob and returned the hug, "Dobby be doing what his Little Missy Dancy orders, he will take care of the Great Harry Potter Sir."

Releasing her servant...friend... Dany stood and smoothed out her dress, approaching the doors she turned back to wink at Harry, "Don't worry, everything will be alright."

* * *

Sitting in the parlour with her sister and husband Narcissa sipped her tea as she leafed through this weeks ledger and sighed, lovely, Lucius had given Fudge yet another 'donation' he had neglected to tell his wife about. She scowled lightly before shoving the annoyance down, she would work it out, she always did. Lady Malfoy simply hoped her daughter would not end up marrying someone as...impulsive... as Lucius, a moment later the large doors opened and said ray of sunshine entered the room.

Smiling she placed the ledger aside as Bellatrix glanced over her reading glasses and began giggling, "Oh if it isn't my favorite niece! We missed you at dinner, where have you been?"

The snow white haired girl stopped before her family before curtsying quickly followed with standing ramrod straight, hands behind her back. It was a bizarre state to see her normally demure daughter in, Narcissa stood and approached the tiny witch while gently taking one of her hands in her own.

"Dearest, what is wrong?"

Dancia could play stoic as much as she wanted, but when here mother showed her affection her walls melted, this made said mother love her daughter even more than she thought was possible.

"I...did something today that may not be found agreeable by all those in this room..."

This gained Lucius' interest as he placed his glass of whiskey aside, "And what pray tell was that my heiress?"

Narcissa closed her eyes and let out a sigh as she felt her daughters hand tense, Morgana damn you...

"I...kidnapped a boy..."

Before either parent could reply Bellatrix let out a giggle, "Oh excellent! Take him to the dungeons I can use him for experiments on the morrow!"

Dancia let out a sigh of her own as she shook her head, "He is currently in my chambers under a protective ward. Tomorrow I shall be taking him to Auntie Andromeda's for a permanent stay."

"There is a  _boy_  in your chambers?!" Lucius shouted in indignation.

"Well that isn't much fun now is it?" Stated Bellatrix.

"You've been in contact with my sister?" Narcissa asked.

Dancia replied to the only sane person in the room she respected as she looked up to her mother, "I've been in contact with the Tonks family ever since Lord Black instated them into the family. Mostly correspondence but I've met with them a few times."

"WHY!?" Lucius seethed out, Dancia turned to her father while tilting her head to the side slightly.

"Because they are family, and there would be no social faux pas since they are recognized members of the House of Black. 'Black in Blood, Always Pure' father, it would be an insult to ignore my relatives, or have you forgotten my matriarchal heritages tendencies for violent retribution? I am simply looking out for our self interests"

Narcissa had a very hard time suppressing her smirk at her daughters flippant remark, oh this girl certainly had Aunt Dorea's sharp tongue.

"Who is the boy?" Bellatrix asked, partially amused at Lucius acting a fool, and impressed with her niece being able to rile him so.

Dancia sighed and shook her head, "Let me tell you a tale Auntie..."

What followed was a horror story, even Lucius looked horrified at the thought of a wizard being treated like a house elf by muggles, when all the gory details were revealed Narcissa pulled her daughter into her lap and asked the little girl an all important question.

"Who is this child my little princess?"

She sighed while dropping her head to her mother's shoulder, "Harry Potter."

Pandemonium followed.

* * *

Harry sat at the center table and much to his own consternation couldn't help himself as he shoveled spoonful after spoonful of tomato soup into his mouth. He'd already finished the rich dark bread, after soaking it into the soup of course, and while his stomach felt close to bursting he could not stop eating. It was delicious, it was filling, it was  _his,_ and no one was stopping him from taking his fill.

Eventually though, he was full, and feeling sleepy beyond words. Taking Dany's warning about leaving her chambers to heart he turned to Dobby and gave him a tired smile.

"I do believe I'm ready for bed now... Do... Do you think Dany is alright?"

Dobby fidgeted about as he tugged on his ears, obviously distressed, "Little Missy Dancy be letting Dobby knows if she needs help Great Harry Potter Sir."

Sighing Harry nodded slowly, "Where am I to sleep?" Dobby helpfully guided him to a side room that was no less opulent then the others and was presented with a set of silk pajamas. Shrugging Harry disrobed and donned the new clothes, they felt amazing and he was a bit self conscious about that, but his exhaustion made him push those feelings aside for the time being.

Crawling into the bed Dobby pointed out Harry placed his glasses on the night stand and curled into the blankets, and quickly realized sleep alluded him. So much had happened in one day, so much information, so many changes, he had no idea what to think about it all.

He lay there for some time, the only illumination coming from his cracked door when he heard noises, straining his hearing he eventually caught voices.

"Is Little Missy Dancy alright!? Bad Master did not hurt her did he?"

There was a muffled sigh and a thump of a door as he finally heard Dancia's voice, "No Dobby I'm fine... For now anyway. My...father demands Harry have breakfast with the family tomorrow but they'll do nothing to obstruct taking him to my Aunt's to get him settled in. Speaking of which, where is Harry?"

Harry felt his heart warm a bit at the concern in her voice as Dobby replied, "He be sleeping Little Missy Dancy, he ate quite a bit."

"The starving usually do... Ok...Dobby prepare my bath I'm going to check up on him."

Harry immediately flopped back down and did his best to look as asleep as possible as the door creaked open and a familiar presence stopped beside his bed. After a time he felt small nimble fingers shuffle through his hair as a sigh breathed out next to him.

"All for you my friend... All for you... You know... I think it will all be worth it, in the end, and..."

She sighed again before of all things an incredibly quiet, ethereal sound filled the room, "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Harry...happy birthday to you... I... I hope it was enough..."

With that he heard the shuffling of light feet and the sound of the door clicking shut.

In the darkness of his room, Harry Potter smiled, and wept.


	3. Welcome to the Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the Family

When Harry awoke he felt groggy and his body was largely unresponsive, yet unlike every other waking morning he had experienced before in his short life he was not cold and sore which was...odd.

Stirring he felt the silk sheets and down stuffed blanket shift about him as his eyes immediately shot open in shock.

There was no way he should be feeling this content, this happy, and the bed he found himself in was massive, soft, clean and there was sunshine beaming down on him and he was... Suddenly remembering the day before he calmed down and sat up, putting it all together.

He was not in his cupboard under the stairs at 4 Privet Drive, he was at Malfoy Manor in Wiltshire and rather than sleeping in his cousins vastly oversized castoffs he was dressed in fine black silk pajamas. Rubbing the heels of his hands into his temples Harry tried to make sense of his current situation when a rapping knock reverberated from his door.

Not knowing how else to react he quietly called out with, "Yes? What is it?"

A tinkling sing song voice that made Harry smile without intending to replied with, "Hello Harry, I hope I did not wake you but we must break our fast with my family soon before taking our leave to my aunt's home. Would you like some time to wake up properly or shall I have Dobby help you dress for the day now?"

Dancia. She was the first person who had ever showed Harry any true kindness and honestly cared for his well being, so Harry did his best to sound polite with his reply.

"You didn't wake me, and yes I'm ready for the day, you can come in if you want."

The door cracked open and unlike the day before Dany was bedecked in a modern looking white dress with a blue silk sash tied about her waist rather then her black Victorian era ensemble. She looked pleased to see Harry awake and alert, and her resulting smile caused the boy in question to hide his blush when he unintentionally remembered the song she had sang him when she had thought him asleep the night before.

Oblivious to his discomfort Dany prowled into the room approaching the windows and opened their curtains fully to flood the area with bright daylight before turning back to Harry while grinning widely.

"Everything should work out fine today Harry, don't worry. You will be taken care of by people that care about your well being and the Dursleys will never see you again, I promise."

Words were wind but Dany had been so honest to him so far and...and he really wanted her to be right.

"Ok, I'll get dressed, and...thanks."

Dancia cocked her head to the side in open confusion, "Thanks for what?"

Harry snorted as he jumped out of bed and quickly cracked his neck, "For being you. I need to change, a bit of privacy please?"

The young girl tilted her head further, her snow white hair shifting to the side as her glacial blue eyes still displayed a bit of confusion before nodding slowly in return.

"Very well, your underclothes and robes are atop the dresser, if you need any help just call for myself or Dobby." With that the small girl left the room and pulled the door shut behind her.

Harry had no issues with the undergarments, which were simply a tank top and a pair of y fronts, the slacks and button up shirt where no issue either. It was after he pulled on the black jumper that he ran into issues, the emerald green tie in his hand seeming to be a vicious snake that at any moment would lash out at him as he tried to figure out how tie the blasted thing.

How was he supposed to handle this most recent hurtle? He'd never had to wear a tie before and it wasn't like he had anyone to-

"Harry are you all right in there?"

Dany, what was he supposed to say to her? Gritting his teeth he shot the door a rather vicious look before replying.

"Just trying to figure out the tie," there, honesty. Something told him honesty was the currency to keep the ethereally demure girl on his side, a moment later that thought was proven true.

"Ah, coming in, I'll help." A second later she swung open the door and confidently walked towards Harry while snatching a tie from the pile of clothes left for him. Throwing it across her shoulders her glacial blue eyes met his emerald green and she smiled fondly before continuing, "Ok. Follow me."

For five minutes she instructed him on how to properly tie up a tie, and when he could set it in a knot that didn't look ridiculous she giggled and nodded, briefly leaning in to peck his cheek causing him to blush furiously afterwards.

"Excellent, we'll make a nob of you yet. Now, grab your outer robes, yes those, the black ones, it is time to meet my family for our meal."'

The robes weren't hard to figure out, not quite like a bath robe but close enough to not feel alien, yet strange enough to not be comfortable. His were spun from a thick wool, pitch black and resplendent of any color, as he stepped out the door he spotted Dany who was wearing an equally thick set but her's were in a vibrant sky blue.

Harry personally felt hers looked far better on her than black ever would.

"Ah, there you are, ready Harry?"

Racking his brain for all the upper society programs Petunia watched and his interactions with the girl the day before Harry placed his hand on his hip and shook the crook of his arm gently towards the snow white haired witch before him.

"Ready whenever you are, Dany."

Smirking she approached him, and much to his relief snaked her arm through his, "Excellent."

As they walked down the hall Harry could only fall into a sense of calm observation as Dancia led him along, absorbing what he could while at the same time remaining politely aware of his manners. Eventually they reached an enormous set of oaken doors and Dancia swallowed tightly as she nodded towards them.

"And...here we go..."

Harry took in a deep breath and as the doors swung open he forced a look of casual nonchalance upon his face as Dany guided him into an opulent dining room straight out of a period film.

The long table had five seats set with utensils and empty plates, on one side of the table sat a blonde couple, the male of the pair looking haughty and disdainful, the female prim and demure.

Dany's parents, if Harry were to take a guess.

Across from them sat a wavy haired ravenette who was sipping coffee out of a mug that read, 'Yes, I Really Do Need This Much Caffeine' on its side. When the blondes met his gaze Harry nearly froze under their imperious gazes, the woman with the coffee simply glanced at him and smiled before speaking to Dancia.

"Oh darling he's adorable, good show, good show. Do take your seats breakfast shall be served soon." Harry immediately warmed up to this woman, she seemed to be one of those 'go with the flow' types and the stack of books resting precariously next to her elbow marked her as a scholar too.

He could get along with someone who preferred books over people, thank you very much.

Dany guided him to sit beside the woman as she herself took the remaining seat beside him, and before things could get awkward platters of food popped into existence before them. Staring at the heaping pile of eggs before him Harry couldn't help echoing his statement from the night before.

"I love magic."

The woman beside him cackled lightly while nodding quickly, "Indeed! Just to cut through all the propriety since I want to eat and I rightly don't care if it is proper or not I'm Bellatrix Black, just call me Bella or Bell, never call me Trixie, understood?" Her joviality switching to manic fury caught Harry completely off guard and he just nodded quickly doing his best to appease the fuming witch beside him.

"Of course Bell, never!" She glared at him a few moments before relaxing and shooting him a wink and a grin.

"Excellent, he can be taught. That is Lucius, feel free to call him Lucy-"

The man let out an indignant noise as he squawked out, "He may not-"

"-Don't care," Bell continued on blithely as she gestured to the blonde woman beside the still sputtering man, "And this is my little sister Narcissa. She is ok with being called...?" The fact she actually gave her sister a chance to introduce herself said something about Bell's deference to family.

She nodded slowly to Harry before continuing on for her elder sister, "You may call me Lady Malfoy..." she glanced to her daughter sitting next to the boy before deciding to take a gamble, "as well as Aunt Cissa, I do not mind."

Harry smiled brightly at that as Bellatrix nodded off handidly, "Yay, we're all on the same page, so lets eat."

There was a stunted silence as they ate their meals, Bell shooting Harry quizzical looks as she munched on her hashed potatoes and Dany's parents doing their best to ignore his existence which was just...awkward.

Eventually Bellatrix had come to a decision, "Very well, you are adorable and I wish to keep you." Harry let out a 'meep!' while Dancia grasped his hand eyes wide in shock, thankfully her mother was more on the ball than she was.

"Bella you cannot 'keep' him, there is a legal system in place for this sort of thing after all."

Bellatrix scoffed at that, "Like I've ever let that bother me before. Besides, he's like a kicked kitten that needs to be nursed back to health, I'm willing to do that, with some experimentations on the side of course."

Wut.

Narcissa let out a sigh as she shook her head, "Bella you do remember what happened to the Kneazle when we were little girls yes?"

Bella looked defensive as she glanced away from her sister, "That was an accident!"

"It died," the blonde stated flatly looking rather unimpressed, which only caused the older woman to huff in indignation.

"It wasn't my fault! How was I supposed to know it was sick! It isn't like it could bloody well talk and tell me now was it?"

Narcissa rolled her eyes at that statement, "Animals cannot talk so you really can't use that as an example, really Bella I thought better of you."

Before she could reply a soft voice spoke up in a tentative tone, "What about snakes?"

All four diners shifted their gazes to Harry, who for his part squirmed about uncomfortably, it was Lucius of all people who spoke up first to address the boys statement.

"What do you mean, 'what about snakes'?"

Harry glanced at Dancia whose expression looked blank, but was really screaming 'GODDAMMIT HARRY!', before turning back to Lucius.

"Umm...snakes, they talk if you try to chat with them yeah? I...I mean everyone can do that right?"

The table was dead silent before Bellatrix began giggling and swept Harry into her lap wrapping her arms around him fully in the process.

"Oh yes, I'm keeping you."

Harry really did not want to even consider what the horrified looks on Dany and her mother's faces meant.


End file.
